Device for cleaning wells



E. C. OSGOOD DLVICE FOR CLEANING WELLS Filed April 2G, 1924 2 Sheets sheet l dm/zd @Afa/w INVENTOR.

June 5, 1928.

June 5, 1928.

, E. c, osGooD l DEVICE FOR CLEANING WELLS 26, 2 Sheets sheet 2 accomplished by fgen'eral description Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES EDWARD dosGooD, or ABERDEEN, MARYLAND.

DEVICE Fon oLEANrNG WELLS.

. Application filedv `April. 26, 1924. Serial No. 709,104.,

Practically all wells of the, so called, open type collect sediment which tends to contaminate the water and for sanitary and other reasons should be periodicallyremoved.

I-Ieretofore this voperation has usually been one person descending linto the well and with scoop o r shovel dipping the sediment into a bucket to be raised tothe ground surfacehy a second person. n

This is aA difficult and very dangerous operation dueto thecramped position` of the person .in the l'well andrto the chance of injury from poisonous gases, crumbling walls, fallingbuckets and sofort By the use of ymy invention vbe cleanedn of sediment quickly,

and with entiresafety, by oneperson, the

work being done from theqwell platform v`or.

ground surface.V f 1 A My invention relates to that type-` of dredging device in which, are usedhinged jaws or scoops so formed as to constitute practically a bowl"or,bucket when closed together around a central, normally vertical, axis and constructed to open outward from the bottom, and Aprovided withL means `for closing them while in contact with material to be removed.

I amaware that monly called buckets answering and having two, three or four jaws or scoops havebeen successfully used for many years. are for improvements adapting thistype of dredger tothe purpose vof cleaning wells by removing sediment therefrom.

Dredging-devices of the bucket type hith* erto in use have been somewhat unsuited for use in cleaning wells due to the fact'that the outrush of water froml between the scoops during the act of closing same, and, also, bucket to the surface of the`water,'a ct to wash out of the bucket the 'lighter particles of sediment, which, due to their usually vegetable nature, are most -important to remove. .t

The construction and action of my device is such as to eii'ectually retain these lighter particles within the ybucket as is clearly shown in the following specifications and accompanying drawings. f

In accompanying (two) drawings Figure 1 is a plan view showing `the 'appearance of the device when closed; Figure. 2 is a prejectiun of' Fig. 1 in vertical secties dredging devices, com# wells f may:

efficiently the above My claims,therefore,

the currents caused by raising the filled through the yaxis--(shaft 11 not in section). 'Ilo-avoid confusion, only one of the actuating arms 4 is shown in this figure. vIi`igure Sis a plan showing the device in open posiytion and .withupper part of cylinder 1 ycut away and piston y7 .removed to show the position'of actuating 'arms 4, 4, f4, relative to yeach. other andto the spreader 12. Figure 4 is a projection of Fig. 3 in elevation and partly in section showing the device in open position, also showing the method of locking kit .in that position by means of spreader 12.` In all the figures like numerals refer to `like parts. f ,i

Following is a description in detail of the construction andoperation of the device.

1 are so hinged, by lugs 16 and pivot screws 17 the scoops 2-2-'-2 that they mayswing to together, meeting at the axis, they constituteA abowl `or bucket suitable for holding sediment substantially as shown in Figs. 1 -and 2.*` Atthe upper edges of thesey scoops, vand constructed to swing clear of the lower edge ofcylinder 1, are axisward lprojecting flaps 3, preferably integral with said scoops, of. suchform as to meet at their'edges when in closed position to constitute a cover to ysaid bowl.' n l f Rigidly attached to eachl scoop 2 is an actuating arml 4 so yformed and placed as to approach andi pass lthe `axisfof cylinder 1, terminating within said cylinder and pivotallv attached at its end to links 5*-5.

Vertically movable within cylinder 1 but kept from turning therein by V- haped ribs 19 engaging corresponding grooves in its dge is a piston 7 having lugs6 pivotally joined to links 5.

Rigidly attached to the piston v7 is the hollow piston rod 8 extending upward through guide sleevek 9 and terminating in .suitable means, as ring 18, for'attaching a rope. Guide sleeve 9 is supported by'braces 10, both sleeve and braces being preferably integral with the'cylinder.

A hand vhold 15 is attached to one of the braces as shown. L, y

Fitting loosely within piston rod v8 is the shaft 11, also, preferably, extends well within, and is guided by. piston rod l8 and also extends below it, terminating' the feet plate .13 and bearing, 'rigidly at:

hollow this shaft v To a central, normally upright, cylinder tachcd, the spreader 12. Thisspread 12 is held in relative rotary position-andmalso limited as to its relative*verticali-motion,by the stud 14: fast to spreader' 12 but having a, limited, free vertical motionin piston 7.

In operationkUpon lifting the device by hand hold 15 the weight `of parts within-#the cylinder causes scoops 2-2-2 to swing outward into open position as shown \in"Fi'gs. f

3 and 4;. The downward movemento'ffthe piston 7 permits a like movement-'of footplate 13 and spreader 12, the :latter engilgn ing with the beve'led'basesofactuatingarms 4-4-11 asv shown in` Fig.' 4. IThisl engage` mentllocks the device inopenpos`ition -so that it may be lowered, open, into'the lwell by ar'ope or 'otliermeans attached to` ring 18.

.'Upon coming in contact with thel bottom i of the `we`ll thet foot' plate" lw'ith A4attached v'spreader 12 is pushed, relatively, upward .thus releasing the spreader l2 from-engagement' with the' arms 4h11-44.

A .subsequent,upward pull on tlieropefiiiill raise the piston 7 within lthecylinder 1 causingja suction from` belowniid,simultane-fl ously, by mea-ns of the links and fthe actuating armsit, will cause ithe*scoops"2-#22 to swing'a'xiswardgatheringanydoose ina-V frame 'tofswing together centrallyfor--open f outwardly, rigidly attached actuatingilevers extending inwardly and -so placed and shaped that, when thescoops are opened widely, eachlever will-extend under one and over another of the correspond-ing levers,

f theyy purpose being togaingi'eater-flength of levers Without interference f 2Q'A tubular? frame 'of uniform `cross sec- Vtion, preferablywa hollow cylinder, of nor- --ma llly-veitical axis, open at the ends for the free-ingress andwegress of water, scoops hinged thereto to swing` to and from the y adownwardly;extended axis of said tube in planes of its axis, a piston movable within, anclinlineofzfthe axis of, Asaid tube, and means connecting said scoops with said piston softhat upward lineal movement of the atean-upward suctionk within the embrace of the scoops.

fjThe combination of'A a scooping element khaving multiple scoops fwith a` suction elev:menti-the latter act/in g toi-withdraw tlieewater from between' thelscoops whileuthescoopsgare closing.

4;. In a well' cleaning "deviceghavi-iig. scoops sohfinged to alf'cominon'i frame laste swing .'radiallyl belowf theframe, a central vertical shaft, independently movable 'vertical-ly .ex-y

teiiding'i below said framefand terminating `in a-foot fplateyandf lhavifng, rigidlyz. attached, a spreader'with radiali. arms v'fittedl' :tol engage I"with interiori. projections below the hinges on said scoops so as to holdthe.y scoops in "openifpositionand to .releaseizthem by `relative upward' movement of-the; spreader.

'fMulti'ple scoops," hinged to close toward and open-V from a icommon axis, and ink planes "thereof, 'means for automatically `lock-ing f same' 'inf-open' position and freleasiiigi same by contact with .bottoni of wellasaidlineansoonsisting fof a verticala'iindependently movable shaft having rigidly attacliediia;spreader 4constructed toi engage said .-scoops; 'when in open positionwand;ieleasable byv a sligh.trrela- A tive iupwardiimovement rand i a footplate. atitaiclied'to the'ilower .end of said shaft for *imparting-K such movement by contact i with bottom of Wella substantially; as; shown.

' iiiawARn o. osooon.

*piston will Icause#axis-ward swingingmovei `-ment'-of the-= scoops l and,I simultaneously, cre- 

